Round up to 3.5 stars.

Third in the Frozen Hearts series – this can be read as a standalone.

Blurb sums up the plot fairly well – Owen is working through his bucket list after successfully completing treatment for cancer. One of the items on his list was spend a winter as volunteer staff in Alaska’s park system.
Quill, a 20 year veteran of the Park’s Volunteer system and permanent ranger, is facing one of his first winters without his friend Hattie after she was promoted and moved to be closer to her family. Quill doesn’t like change. Quill doesn’t like outgoing volunteers. Quill is a bit of a crabby pants.

When Owen is assigned to Quill’s district, Owen is thrilled at the opportunity to get to know Quill better. Quill wants very little to do with Owen, but gradually, Owen pulls Quill out of his shell.

This was an enjoyable third installment to the Frozen Hearts series. Owen was a very likeable and fun character – outgoing, enthusiastic, willing to step forward and help. The kind of friend we’d all like to be and would love to have.

Quill…was not as likeable and it took me a while to warm up to his character. Yes, change is hard and having your best friend leave after six years to pursue a life of her own is a major change, but you don’t treat a volunteer like dirt because <i>you’re</i> unhappy. Especially when it sounds like the volunteers are kind of necessary and this is something he’s done over his twenty years.

As the romance between Quill and Owen moves forward and they get to know each other, I was NOT thrilled about characters who decide what is best for the other person’s life goals and objectives. I’m purposely being oblique to avoid spoilers, but this aspect annoyed me somewhat.

I also had some concerns about the incident requiring CPR, a trip to ICU, and a week later our characters are having sex. According to the First Responders and EMT’s I’ve taken CPR training with, the dislocated sternum and potentially cracked ribs are going to hinder any romantic inclination a person may have. <i>Breathing</i> is going to hurt. Yes, I understand the need for some life altering drama, but…this didn’t work for me.


So I bounced off Quill's character, I questioned some of the medical accuracy, I enjoyed Owen a great deal, and the whole “volunteer in Alaska” aspect was quite interesting. Overall, an engaging third book.

3 to 3.5 stars.

A ranger and his volunteer for the winter season have to negotiate friendship and eventually more while dealing with family issues, past histories, and the dangers of Alaska in the winter. I couldn't really get into this story as the characters didn't' really grab me as much as previous ones did by the author. But it may be a personal preference as the characters are quite isolated due to the whole winter in Alaska thing. There is some excitement towards the end that had me worried but it all turned out.

As a true fan of Annabeth Albert, I was a bit disappointed in this book. There was nothing wrong with the story in itself or the characters. The problem, for me, was the constant self-pitying internal monologue going on in especially one case. But, it's also a recurring issue in Albert's books, that repeating monologue, how we always get to hear every problem from multiple angles on repeat.

I still like how Albert writes her characters and how they're often layered and have real issues. If one likes angst and internal processing, it's to be a cozy read, I guess.

/ Denise

This is book #3, in the Frozen Hearts series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. To fully understand series, and to avoid spoilers, I recommend reading this series in order.

Owen has a new look on life after cancer. He volunteers to help in the deep cold of Alaska for the winter. He has to get used to being mostly alone. Just him and Quill. Cold and sexy man can be a great combination.

Quilleran AKA "Quill" is mostly fine being alone. Being hurt in the past has shaped how he has spent the last couple decades. Is it time to let someone in? Owen might be a city boy, but he is proving himself to be a great team member.

This book is what you call a slow burn. I loved reading about these guys. They have so much to learn and together it just seems simple. There is quite a lot of sparks and heat for how cold it is there. Great addition to the series.


***This ARC copy was given by Netgalley and its publisher, in exchange for an honest review only.

Owen is a cancer survivor and is working on his bucket list. He decides to volunteer to work in Alaska. Quill is a park ranger and is quiet, doesn't hang around a lot of people, and is a closet gay. The different personalities between them make them click. This book has romance, coming out, angst, some intense moments, and delight to read. I have read all of Annabeth Albert's book and I enjoyed this also.

I love Annabeth Albert, she is one of my favourite m/m authors. But this book took a little bit for me to get into. But once it got started it was great! The relationship developed so beautifully. I can't wait for the next book.

An enjoyable read, the perfect showcase of opposites attract! Owen is vibrant, vivacious, off to discover the world in his bucket list after surviving cancer. Quill is gruff, reclusive, afraid to step out and face any changes. Together, they discover something blossoming between them in the wilds of Alaska, despite Quill's initial resistance. I liked that one of the heroes is a person of colour and it brings something fresh to the story. While the story is a slow-burn, there is enough action involving the park ranger job to keep things interesting. I thought the plot is quite predictable but the characters are strong enough that I was rooting for their happy ever after. A cosy romance perfect for winter.

This is the second book I've read in this series, and it's interesting to see the added struggles to a budding relationship, being out in the cold Alaska snow. Quill is reserved, reluctant, and scared of getting hurt. Owen has a second lease on life, is bossy, and kind of pushy. At times, I didn't love that about him, but I guess it was needed. These two are pretty sweet and like to take care of one another, But they're both competent and resourceful.

There's definitely some steamy scenes, but the relationship building in this book is more about the comfort and companionship, trusting someone to be there. Also the jobs these boys have and backstory are interesting.

WOW!!

**do not post due to spoilers**

I was convinced Quill & Owen weren’t going to find a long term HEA! It was such a beautiful story full of love, learning and understanding, but with that comes challenges. Quill being so deep in the closet, I thought for sure he would confess the love he showed to Owen but not be able to commit for an HEA! Leave it to the brilliant AnnaBeth to MAKE him with events. This was so realistic and true to life with what this couple faced. The descriptive and beautiful Alaskan scenery is something I’ll miss- but this romance- perfectly imperfect.

Thank you for brining us this sorry!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin/Carina Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is part of a series, number 3. This is my first time reading this author. I really need to look at the garbage and not just the covers. I loved the cover, but had no idea if was about 2 guys. I loved the setting, and tried to read the story but I am just not interested. It seemed that Quill was sort of neurotic and odd but hope fully he gets more likeable. I found it to have a slow start and I did not finish the book. It seemed well written and I had defensive feelings regarding the characters. I liked Owen and not so much Quill. 3 stars for what I did read.

This is probably the weakest from Ms. Albert as of yet. I'm a little disappointed but hardly deterred. I will continue to read her books, but will not be writing a full review of this book.

I liked it,
well enough written but not a all night read.
loved the surroundings but not the sidecharcters, too much there.
The topic is a bit overdone,no surprises
.but it is well written en enjoyable enough for a pleasant afternoon.

I love Quill and all his gruffness, and Owen has a lightness to him that makes them perfect for each other even though their different.
This was a sweet story with characters that spoke to me in so many ways; insecurities, humour and compassion are all feelings we can relate to.

The characters is well described and developed in to realistic personalities.
No unnecessary descriptions of surroundings
Lots of good dialogues
Building love that’s sweet and vulnerable
Happy ending and passionate love.

Love it! 5 stars ⭐️

3.5 stars, this was my least favorite of the series. I hated Quill and never recovered from that. I really liked Owen and his bucket list. I still love "seeing" Alaska and the hidden dangers. Just because I did not like this book, it will not stop me from continuing with the series.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. There was depth, a somewhat slow-build, and interesting enough characters. There were moments, especially with Owen, that I physically ached for him and his situation with Quill. However, I found myself bored a lot of the time and it was way too easy for me to put my kindle down and walk away to do adulting and not feel like I needed to get back to the story and see how it ended. And a lot of that had to do with me guessing what was going to happen to make Quill get over his fears and go after what he wanted.

All in all it was a good solid read, but it didn't leave me wanting more or craving to know how these characters were going to get together. It was pleasant and made me feel some things.

Owen and Quill's story was so beautifully told. There was no jump into the heat, but a measured walk-through and a chance to witness true love begin, be tested and nurtured...with some decent heat thrown in a little later. The Alaska setting was awesome! Makes me really want to go check it out. Annabeth's stories are pretty new to me, but I am already a follower and will be reading the previous stories.

This is an enjoyable M/M romance in which the state of Alaska and the vital work of park rangers add considerably to the story. Owen and Quill are very different and their lives are definitely not in sync, but their mutual spark of attraction just won't go away. It takes a life-threatening situation to finally bring them together, leading to a very satisfying and romantic ending.

This is the best of the series! There’s animosity, misunderstandings, dirty sex play, sexual awakening, coming out, coworkers to lovers, a dramatic avalanche, sweet romantic gestures, a dog, and finally a HEA. Just totally wonderful.

Owen Han, thirtysomething, former investment banker and cancer survivor, is working his way through his bucket list when he’s selected as a volunteer to assist National Park Service staff in Alaska over the winter. He’s sure nothing could be more fulfilling, until…he lays eyes on Quill Ramsey, fortysomething career park ranger. Tall, muscular, rugged, the epitome of the great outdoors, Quill is sure to be straight. But when he also turns out to be quiet, deeply closeted, and set in his rigid rules, Owen starts to rethink that bucket list.

Nevertheless, flirting comes natural to Owen, and Quill isn’t unaffected. Over time, in the dark of winter, Quill starts to thaw toward the naturally effusive, warm and caring Owen. And Owen starts to see beneath the twenty-year-experience veneer Quill has managed to hide behind. The two become more friendly and ultimately find satisfaction in more than flirtation. But Quill’s sexual awakening is not typical as Owen, though smaller, has side effects from his cancer treatment and Quill, though larger, is turned on by Owen’s take-charge attitude. Add in feelings and there’s more here than either man is comfortable with. Quill, true to his reticent nature, walks away and then regrets it, creating an emotional tug of war for both characters.

Revealing how the author resolves their standoff, and what happens next, would be a spoiler I won’t list here. But let’s just say Quill has an eye-opening experience, actually two, one immediately following the other, and he’s lucky to keep Owen in his life. Adding to the pleasure of the story is the brief cameo appearance of Griffin and River from Arctic Sun. Overall, as I said above, I loved this book. Both men were realistically portrayed, and I can’t decide who I liked most—Owen with his gregarious personality—never met a stranger he didn’t know sort of guy—or Quill, totally buttoned-up rule follower, who had the heart of a lamb hidden in his stoic persona and totally melted into a puddle when Owen came into his life. No matter who it is, however, I can promise readers a treat with this one. Very highly recommended and it can most definitely be read as a stand-alone.

I didn't expect this to have so much emotional depth, and that's the main reason I enjoyed this book. There were so many layers to the main characters' growth and motivations, and this made me really root for them.

I also loved the setting of winter in Alaska, which felt quite original to me, and I thought it worked really well.

I have to say though, I enjoyed the past quarter or so a lot less, because Owen really pressured Quill into coming out and I didn't feel like this was handled carefully enough. Coming out is harder for some people than it is for others, and that's very much okay, and doesn't make them cowards. Which was sort of the message this book went with, in stating Quill "realized he was being a coward" and overcame his fear. There was some discussion of this, but I just didn't think it was quite enough.

And considering how slow the characters were to open up to each other, I didn't particularly love how rushed the last part of the book was.

Rep: gay Asian MC, gay MC

CWs: cancer (in the past), homophobia, emotionally abusive parents & ex/trauma, accident because of an avalanche, hospital

I love that feeling when I start a new book, meet the main characters, and immediately like them.

Owen was volunteering for the winter at an Alaska state park to check off an item on his bucket list after having gone through a life-changing illness. He was out going and a people person. Quill was a ranger who kind of shut himself away from society after a difficult childhood and a bad relationship. The strong, silent type.

I must admit I don’t like closeted characters so Quill had me frustrated at times because he wouldn’t allow himself to be happy. And I thought Owen was a bit forward and pushy towards Quill to start a relationship but Quill needed someone to show him things he wanted were okay. His ex really did a number on him.

A hard won HEA because things were shaky there for a bit.